A place to interact with political activist and former Libertarian Gubernatorial Candidate, Loretta Nall. This blog covers Alabama politics, drug policy reform with emphasis on marijuana laws, medical marijuana, prison reform, voting rights, equal rights for gays and lesbians, ballot access reform and other social justice oriented issues.

Monday, March 09, 2009

Medical Marijuana Letter Writing Campaign

Last week members of Alabamians for Compassionate Care kicked off a letter writing campaign to newspapers across Alabama explaining HB434 The Michael Phillips Compassionate Care Act, explaining their medical conditions, the obstacles they face in trying to maintain a safe supply and one about a man who has lived in pain for over half his life and would like to try it but can't.

The first of what I hope are many letters is from Don Siebold and was printed in today's Birmingham News

State should allow medical marijuana

I respectfully request The Birmingham News support HB434 in the Alabama House of Representatives and any companion bill that is introduced in the Alabama Senate. This bill would change Alabama law to allow certain citizens described in the bill to use marijuana under the conditions prescribed in the bill to deal with their medical conditions.

In 1970, after more than 16 years in the military, I was medically discharged because of a physical condition that rendered me physically unfit for further service to our country. Before then, I underwent two invasive surgeries to try to correct a condition in my lower spine, neither of which brought relief for the pain I suffered. So, for half or more of my life, I've lived with chronic pain that has gotten worse over time.

As a law-abiding citizen, I have never used marijuana, even though I've read and heard that using it might give me some relief. If HB434 changes the law to make medical marijuana legal, at least I will have the opportunity to use it legally to see if it will ease my pain, as it reportedly has for so many other people around our nation.

Don SeiboldWetumpka#####

Way to go Don! I hope your letter inspires others to speak out and get involved.

3 comments:

I should have mentioned that the letter in the Birmingham News caused a lady to look up my phone number and call me yesterday afternoon asking how she could get involved, so I told her how to contact Loretta and ask what she could do to help.